To my customer.
I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it.
I may not have the time, but I’ll make it.
UNKNOWN
Matthew Stein, manager of the HubSpot Customer Support Ninja Team, believes strongly in the power of words to satisfy customers. Because customer satisfaction is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectations, Matthew and his team have developed 10 rules that the follow when helping HubSpot customers. These rules are a great guide for any business who has a mission of making happy customers.
The 10 Commandments of Customer Support
1. Listen - Listening is the first step to understanding. Everyone calling support has a problem to report. If you don't listen, you'll never find out the customer's problem. Some customers can be frustrated and want to know that their pain is being heard. Allow them to vent, understand their frustration and let them know you heard what they said. After the emotions subside they'll be in a more receptive mood for advice.
2. Teach - Knowledge is power. Teaching our customers how to solve their own problem empowers them, and gives them a sense of control. Our goal is to help people transform their own marketing. We help even the smallest businesses take control of their website and their marketing efforts. Teach them how to edit their own website, and instead of a frustrated customer, you put them on the path to control of their own marketing destiny.
3. Pay Attention - Multitasking is great for productivity, but never forget that the customer you're dealing with is your top priority. If you miss the details of a problem, and the customer needs to repeat themselves, they will feel ignored. Listening (see Commandment #1) isn't just about hearing what they say, it's hearing all of what they have to say.
4. Ask the Right Questions - Getting to the bottom of the problem requires some digging. Sometimes a customer will work themselves down a difficult path and only call about a solution for the immediate problem they see. Find out what their larger goal is, and you can often make their life easier. They may say they're trying to add a single line to a table today, but what they really need is a format to display their content in an easy to edit layout. Get a big picture view of the issue and a more comprehensive solution can present itself.
5. Don't Interrupt - We're here to help customers on their timetable, don't rush a customer.
6. Apologize - Even if it's not your fault, apologizing and taking ownership of a problem is one of the fastest ways to defuse an emotional situation. You don't have to assume responsibility to truly apologize. Saying you're sorry the screw-up occurred doesn't mean it's your fault, it says how you feel about what happened.
7. Focus On Solutions, Not On Blame - HubSpot lives and dies as one team. Never blame another department, instead focus on finding a solution that will work.
8. Put Yourself In Their Shoes - Get to know the customer's business. Sometimes looking at the problem from a different angle will reveal a solution. Find out how the customer uses our products and their process might reveal a solution or new idea. Think about how visitors to their site flow through the pages and how that process can be streamlined. Get to know the customer's business. Our customers are all different. Finding the right solution to their problem starts with knowing their business processes, and how they can work best with our systems.
9. Treat Free Product Users As Customers - They've already found our product, their first phone call could be our only chance to show them how good the support is that comes with our software.
10. Laugh, Smile and Have Fun - When appropriate, have fun with the customer. If they're smiling when they hang up, you've done a good job.
What other rules would you add to this list?
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Bill Boyer 9:24 AM on December 28, 2010
Very valid information. I am a business coach and I am constantly surprised by the lack of attention given to the customer by many companies. If they really focused on the customer, there sales would be much better.
Allison Tatterson 10:40 AM on December 28, 2010
Great list. We are all in the customer support business even if we are not in the customer support department. Treat every customer "touch" as an opportunity to try out Matthew Stein's list.
Alex Ramadan 11:35 AM on December 28, 2010
Excellent list. You hit all the important factors except patience. Patience will allow you to implement all these commandments fully.
I put together a list of "commandments for email customer support" that follows closely with your list as well.
Customer Support Email Commandments
Alex Ramadan 11:38 AM on December 28, 2010
Ah, broken link. Are we sure it isn't Monday still?
Customer Support Email Commandments
Ryan Malon 11:57 AM on December 28, 2010
Please add: Notify customers proactively how changes in services will impact their workflow. Much of this article is based on post-issue support, when many support issues can be resolved through upfront, proactive communication.
Carla Marrero 1:04 PM on December 28, 2010
Alex Ramadan,
Still can't get the 10 commandments for email support. Help!
Carla
George Roberts 2:55 PM on December 28, 2010
Great list and actually would be a good list for managers to live by when they are also taking care of their employee issues.
G
April 6:32 PM on December 28, 2010
@Ryan That is a great point. I agree that proactive communication is very necessary for customer happiness. It is probably not presented in this list because the HubSpot Customer Support Team doesn't currently handle the proactive communications. Rather, our Community team handles our educational content and published updates about our software and statuses that will affect customers. We've a few sites and locations where we manage those udpates now, but we're always open to feedback on the best way to reach you with such updates.
April 6:35 PM on December 28, 2010
@Carla
I think that this is the link Alex was trying to add, though it may be easiest to copy and paste it into your browser: http://www.zanmarketing.com/?p=347
Jeremy Raglin 6:36 PM on December 28, 2010
Good list.
Another important point to remember with customer service is to say "I understand" in response to a customers problem or complaint because you're validating the customers problem and showing them that you actually care about them instead of looking at them as a number.
Voice123 8:25 PM on December 28, 2010
Nothing but praise for this article...
I maybe would have added: "Teach and Be Taught By Their Reaction To Your Approach"
Thanks!
Tony 9:02 PM on December 28, 2010
Another great rule to live by is to be patient. Customers' time is more valuable than your own, and wasting it would only prove to be detrimental. Sometimes the effort you put into listening with an unhappy customer may in turn lead to converting them into brand advocates.
Dilawar Ali 11:29 PM on December 28, 2010
very nice, specially when u said "if they are smiling when they are hang up" is a good key.
I am new to ur blog but consistently attending webinars. blog is also very informative. i am also subscribing it on my primary email
Shriharsha Bhat 1:38 AM on December 29, 2010
I agree. I have always put customer service and support ahead of every other activity. And, it has indeed worked for me. My customers have returned back just because "they liked the way we helped them last time"...
Jim Hitch 10:10 AM on December 29, 2010
This a solid list, Jeanne. I feel like I've gotten a peek behind the scenes at HubSpot, and found some kindred spirits there!
One thing that's always in our mind as we take care of customers is this rule - Be Prompt. A slow response can sour even the kindest, most helpful client interaction.
And one more that might make our list - Take Ownership of Every Question. This relates to your first and third commandments. For us, it's about taking personal responsibility for resolving the issue. For example, if something is going to take more than one phone call or email, we try to convey (sometimes implicitly, sometimes explicitly) that we're going to carry this all the way to the finish line with them. They won't be calling back a few hours later to tell the story again, for example...
Thanks for sharing the team's list today. It's encouraged us to consider doing the same with our Community.
deb woodhall 5:55 PM on December 29, 2010
I agree with your rules. The only thing I would add is to make sure your apology and your concern is backed up with action to solve the customers problem. Otherwise yoour apologies become hollow and are just another issue to further aggravate your customer.
Sam alex 12:26 AM on December 30, 2010
This is a really good information list for PR sites.
Thanks for leave this list……..
Nirmal Sharma 1:28 AM on January 03, 2011
It's an excellent compilation of practical tips. I wish to add one more point to the list. In case we are not able to find solution to a particular problem and it is taking some time, we must update the customer about the latest status. A well informed customer will be more co-operative & appreciate our efforts.
Alex Ramadan 12:41 AM on January 05, 2011
@April, thanks for reposting the link. I was having a long, rough morning!
Daniel Anguiano 9:19 PM on January 06, 2011
Great advice on customer service. Too many times customer service agents focus on placing blame elsewhere instead of trying to be empathetic. Remember, always to "seek first to understand, then to be understood."